What is Muay Thai?

Muay Thai is a type of martial arts originating from Thailand, where it is the country’s national sport. It involves a combination of striking and clinching techniques and is known as the ‘art of eight limbs’ because of its use of eight points of contact in the fists, elbows, knees and shins. We have a Muay Thai gym in Morley, Baldivis and Southern River.

What it’s based on

Muay Thai emerged in the 16th century, where it was used as a fighting technique in actual warfare. It was an effective weapon in conflicts between Thailand and its neighbours and is regarded as one of the most effective stand-up, striking fighting sports of all time.

Today, Muay Thai is showcased in thousands of displays in the competition ring every year and is championed by the King of Thailand, who is an avid fan of the sport.

What it takes

A Muay Thai fighter must have all the right qualities if they are to succeed including;

• Commitment – a 110% commitment, including maintaining peak physical condition, always attending training sessions and training hard even when tired.
• Endurance – the stamina to launch a sustained attack and defence against an opponent and to persevere beyond the point where others would give up.
• Focus – a total focus on training, with all other distractions including family and social life taking a back seat to Muay Thai.
• Technique – continually working on your basic moves to ensure a perfect technique, because while talent is a bonus, skill is everything in the competition ring.

What it involves

Not all who learn Muay Thai want to become fighters. Some take up the sport purely for its physical and spiritual benefits which is fine, because Muay Thai has something to offer everyone.

A typical class will begin with stretching exercises to loosen up your muscles, followed by skipping which helps to burn calories and improve your footwork and your rhythm.

Then comes shadow boxing, an exercise for improving technique and working on new strike moves, followed by pad work, which provides a good cardio workout and teaches you how to effectively strike moving objects. Finally, after some bag work and sit-ups, you will perform stretching exercises again to wind down after the session.

The benefits of Muay Thai

Muay Thai offers a range of health benefits including;

• An aerobic and anaerobic workout – improves strength, dexterity and cardiovascular performance.
• A great way to shed weight – a typical 60 minute workout will burn over 1,000 calories.
• Improves coordination – the fighting skills you practice will improve balance, reflexes and dexterity.
• Strengthens your core – movements such as striking, defending and clenching help to develop a strong core.
• Helps to relieve stress – provides a refuge from everyday cares and a physical outlet for built up feelings of stress.

Why Muay Thai works

Muay Thai works because it is the most effective striking art in the world. It has been proven on the battlefield and in the ring over hundreds of years and refined to be as efficient and powerful as it can be; so much so that it is now the main striking base used by Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) champions around the world.

The other reason Muay Thai works is that it not only builds physical fitness, it toughens you mind as well, instilling confidence, discipline and self-esteem and cultivating qualities such as courage, humility and the warrior spirit.

Where you can try Muay Thai

If you’d like to try Muay Thai classes in Perth, we hold 60 and 90 minute classes at all three of our locations. We have classes at Morley for those in the north and at Southern River and Baldivis for those south of the river. To find out about our Muay Thai grading system or book your first class, contact us today at Bailey Fitness.